John Ryan Murphy was expected to be the future at catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is getting another chance with the Arizona Diamondbacks following his trade today.
Sometimes, a player just needs a change of scenery in order to blossom. Previously well regarded prospects can flame out for any number of reasons, but can turn their careers around in the different setting. That is what the Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping for with John Ryan Murphy, whom they acquired from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league pitcher Gabriel Moya.
When he was originally acquired by the Twins, the hope was that Murphy would be their catcher of the present and future. As he acquitted himself well in his extended trial with the Yankees in 2015, producing a .277/.327/.406 batting line with nine doubles and three homers in 172 plate appearances, this hope was certainly warranted.
Instead, Murphy struggled in his time in Minnesota. In his 90 plate appearances in 2016, Murphy had a .146/.193/.220 batting line with only four extra base hits. He was banished to AAA, and continued his woeful production in the minors. With the Twins own acquisitions of Jason Castro, Chris Jimenez (when he is not on the mound), and new backup Anthony Recker, Murphy was expendable.
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For the Diamondbacks, the interest in Murphy is understandable. Their current catchers, a hodgepodge of Chris Iannetta, Jeff Mathis, and Chris Herrmann, have produced a combined .216/.289/.438 batting line. While they have 16 homers, tied for ninth in baseball, they are not exactly providing much else on offense.
While Murphy may not have the best track record in the majors, he is still only 26 years old. He also have the defensive profile that the Diamondbacks are focusing on. He has caught 30% of would be basestealers overall in his major league career, and nabbed 39% in AAA this season. Murphy has also improved his pitch framing skills over the years, and have become a viable defensive weapon.
Although he may not get his chance this season, Murphy could be a key part of the Diamondbacks future. Iannetta is a free agent after the season, and neither Mathis or Herrmann would seemingly inspire confidence behind the dish. If he can start to produce at AAA, Murphy could stake a claim to the starting catcher job.
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John Ryan Murphy was unable to become the player the Minnesota Twins thought they were getting. This trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks may be his chance to prove that he is, indeed, a viable major league player.